Merchandise display



Nov. 8,1938. c. w. KRE ss MERCHANDISE DISPLAY Filed May 9, 1936 illiii 1 55:. 35 iz INVENTOR 0M il fflkass TEF- , ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 8, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFKIE MERCHANDISE DISPLAY Claude W. Kress, New York, N. Y.

Application May 9,

9 Claims.

My present invention relates primarily to window, counter and floor display stands for merchandise, and while useful in a wide variety of relations is especially adapted for use in retail stores.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple rugged and inexpensive display assemblage, by which any of a large variety of sizes of shelves or merchandise holders may be disposed with any desired spacing, and in any angular disposition to suit the requirements of use and in which in each setting, each shelf or holder is positively locked in position against any possibility of looseness or misadjustment.

Another object is to provide a device of the above type which can be readily set into any of the multitudinous different possible settings without resort to tools.

In the accompanying drawing in which are.

shown one or more of various possible embodiments of the several features of theinvention,

Fig. l is a front elevation of a display, according to the present invention, as actually used,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof,

Fig. 3 is a sectional View on a larger scale taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2, showing the shelf bracket in plan view,

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of said bracket with parts broken away,

Fig. 5 is a sectional Fig. 4, i

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail View on a larger scale taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 4,

Fig. 7 is a sectional detail view on a larger scale taken on line 1-1 of Fig. 4,

Fig. 8 is a sectional detail view on a larger scale taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 9 is a plan view of an alternative form of shelf bracket, and

Fig. 10 is a side elevation with parts broken away, of the embodiment of Fig. 9. 7

Referring tothe drawing, the unit comprises a base i I and a standard l2 rising therefrom. The standard is preferably of metal tube stock which may be rectangulanusually square in cross-section, and is conformed for convenient mounting of shelf brackets in any desired relation and spacing. For this purpose, the standard has longitudinal aligned elongated slots I3 in spaced rela tion and these slots may be arranged not only at the front wall of the bar, but also as at M at the lateral walls thereof, to permit disposition of shelves on any or all three of said walls, to suit the exigencies of use or the fancy of the decorator.

The shelves IS in the illustrative embodiment view taken on line 5--5 of 1936, Serial No. 78,774 (01. 248) shown, are attached with respect to the standard and include shelf platforms l6 which may be inclined forwardly as specifically shown or alternatively they may be mounted to extend horizontally or to depend vertically downward as hereinafter set forth. In the inclined or vertical relation as shown, the shelves when viewed from the front, conceal the brackets and other supporting appurtenances as shown in Fig. l and, therefore, display the merchandise to good advantage without giving evidence of the mechanical means by which the shelves are carried. The price tags I! may be affixed to extend downward from the respective shelves and to conceal the lengths of standard intervening between successive shelves.

In Figs. 3 to 8 inclusive, a desirable specific form of shelf bracket unit is shown in detail. This unit preferably comprises a bracket member. which constitutes a metal stamping l8, having a pair of spaced hooks l9 at the rear edge thereof, which hooks are extended through any pair of alternate slots, as for instance at I3 and I3 leaving exposed an intervening slot I3 at which the device may be locked in'place by turning the nut 20 which is lodged in a bay 2| in the bracket [8 and is mounted on a nipple 22 fixed in a corresponding socket 23 formed in the bracket, said nut having an axial tip 24 which extends into the intermediate slot 13 for centering the parts. The pressure of the nut is exerted against the standard l2 and thereby forces the under-faces of the hooks l9 forwardly into snug engagement with the inner face of the corresponding standard wall. The bracket member carries the shelf platform structure which comprises a shelf platform proper l6 and a bar 25, the latter attached to the bracket. Said two-part construction of platform proper l6 and bar 25 permits adjustment of the platform for a variety of widths of shelf members I5. Preferably the bar is longitudinally slotted as at 26 and the bracket has a pair of downwardly extending longitudinal and nearly central fins 21 and 28, to accommodate therebetween the thickness of the bar '25. These fin structures are preferably angle bars with the upper horizontal plates 21 and 28 thereof soldered or welded to the lower face of the shelf platform [6. Preferably, a screw 29 through the fins, limits the position of adjustment of the shelf platform for the narrowest shelf in which the forward edge of the bar 25 preferably comes fiush with the forward edge of the shelf platform I6.

A thumb screw 30 with a flat head 3| against one of the fins extends through fin 21 the slot 26 of the bar 25 andis threaded into the opposite fin;

28 to clamp the shelf platform in desired position relative to the bar in accordance with the width of shelf to be carried thereon.

A further adjustment exists between the bracket I 8 and the bar 25 to permit alternative disposition of the shelf in horizontal position, in downwardly inclined position or in position of vertical pendency. For that purpose, the rear end of the bar, preferably has an aperture 32 conformed as a regular polygon to be keyed over a correspondingly shaped boss 33 rigid with the bracket. The preferred hexagonal structure shown, admits of the setting of the shelf support platform in any of the three alternative adjustments noted. The parts are releasably locked in position, preferably by a thumb screw 34 extending centrally through boss 33 and bracket 18, the flat head 35 of said screw pressing against bar 25 to clamp the parts in position. In a convenient and inexpensive construction the boss 33 comprises a hexagonal stamping superposed over bracket i8 and provided with a pair of pins 36 affixed therein, extending from one face thereof and lodged in corresponding perforations 31 in said bracket member. If desired the boss stamping 33 may also be soldered in position.

The forward end of the shelf support I6 is preferably turned upward at 38 to form a grooved holder for the forward edge of the shelf [5 which rests therein, regardless whether :the shelf be horizontal or inclined downward, as shown, or depends vertically downward.

The bracket construction thus comprises merely three coordinated stampings which can be readily set in any of the various positions of adjustment and which assembly is secure against possibility of rattle, misadjustment or dropping out of place. The device can be readily and securely set up without resort to tools for any of a wide variety of possible adjustments.

The embodiment of Figs. 9 and'10 is a simplified construction, in which the adjustability for width of the shelf exists, as in the embodiment of Figs. 3 to 8, but in which the angular adjustment feature has been omitted. In this construction, the bracket member and what corresponds to the bar 'member in Figs. 3 to 8 are madeof a single unitary stamping All. The shelf supporting platform member is somewhat differently constructed in that the angle bars 4| and 42 serving as the fins, extend rearward beyond the rear end of the platform 43 and are secured together at their'rear ends in'spaced relation, preferably by 'a disk of metal 44 welded or soldered to the horizontally extending upper plates 45 of the angle bars. The slotted bar 46 of .the bracket extends between the fins 4! and 42 and is locked in position in exactly the same manner shown in the embodiment of Figs. 3 to 8, and previously described. Except for the numerals already used in the description of the embodiments of Figs. 9 and 10, corresponding parts have the reference numerals primed of those of the embodiment of Figs. 3 to 8.

In the embodiment of Figs. 9 and 10 is shown a backing plate 46 with upright slots 41, through which. the hooks l9 extend. The backing plate extends symmetrically from opposite sides of bracket 40 and presents lugs 48 which serve as rests for the rear .edge of the shelf and an inturned vflange 49 to extend .over the top of the shelf. Thus, the parallel edges of the shelf are gripped between flange 38' and flange 49. The axial tip 24' of the locking nut 20' extends throughga corresponding aperture :in backing plate 46 to coact with the standard in the same manner as in the embodiment of Figs. 3 to 8.

In the assembled construction, the backing plate 46 is thus securely clamped in position between the bracket 40 and the standard and in its coaction with the shelf, makes for a particularly secure assembly.

The refinement of the backing mount just described could obviously be applied, if desired, to the form of bracket shown in Figs. 3 to 8, especially for the horizontal setting thereof.

As many changes could be made in the above construction, and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope of the claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent isil. A shelf support for a display fixture comprising a mounting bracket, a shelf carrying unit including a longitudinal carrying bar and a shelf platform, and means for positioning said bar to be selectively and securely retained either in horizontal or in downwardly inclined relation .With. respect to said mounting bracket, said means comprising a hexagonal blank of metal having a pair of pins extending from one face thereof into corresponding perforations in the b c t, sa carryin ba h v n an a e r at its end corresponding in shape to, an receiving said blank, whereby said bar may be selectively keyed with respect to the bracket for horizontal or desired inclined position, and ,a thumb screw for clamping the carrying bar in place against the bracket.

2. A store display omprising a standard, a shelf supporting assembly, said assembly comprising a horizontal bar having a bracket element fixed to saidstandard, a shelf platform near the forward end of said bar and a separate backing plate clamped in assembled position between said bracket and said standard, said shelf platform and said backing plate having means respectively straddling the forward and rear edges of the platform.

3. The combination recited in claim 2 in which the bracket has hook fasteners engaging in con responding elongated slots in the standard, and

in which a threaded fastener mounted on the bracket has a point protruding through a corresponding hole in the backing plate to coact with the standard at a part between the mounting hooks of the bracket.

fl. A store display device, comprising abracket, having means for attachment to a standard, a shelf-supporting platform member hinged to the forward end of said bracket at a substantial distance from the rear thereof for angular movement with respect to said bracket, said bracket having the major portion of its top side nearest the hinge connectionextending other than above the shelf supporting plane of said platform member in the horizontal position of said platform member, and means at the hinge connection between said platform member and said bracket for looking said platform member in adjusted angular position in respect to said bracket.

5. A store display .device .comprising a bracket having means for attachment to a standard, a

shelf-supporting platform member hinged to the forward end of said'bracket at a substantial distance from the rear thereof, said bracket having the major portion of its top side nearest the hinge connection extending other than above the shelf supporting plane of said platform member in the horizontal position of said platform member, and a thumb screw disposed at the hinge connection between said platform member and said bracket for locking said platform member in adjusted angular'position with respect to said bracket.

6. A store display device comprising a bracket having hooked mounted portions for attachment into corresponding slots of a standard, a shelfsupporting platform member hinged to the forward end of said bracket at a substantial distance from the rear thereof, said bracket having the major portion of its top side nearest the hinge connection extending other than above the shelf supporting plane of said platform member in the horizontal position of said platform member, and means at the hinge connection between said platform and said bracket for looking said platform member in adjusted angular position with respect to said bracket.

7. A store display device comprising a bracket having means for attachment to a standard, a bar hinged to the forward end of said bracket at a substantial distance from the rear thereof, and a shelf-supporting member extensibly supported on said bar, the major portion of the top edge of said bracket nearest the hinged connection extending other than above the shelf supporting plane of said platform member in the horizontal position of said latter member, means at the hinge connection between said bar and said bracket for locking said bar in adjusted angular position with. respect to said bracket and means for locking the shelf-supporting member in adjusted extended position with respect to said bar.

8. A store display device comprising a bracket having means for attachment to a standard, a

shelf platform member hinged to the forward edge of said bracket at a substantial distance from the rear thereof and supported in angular adjusted position entirely on said bracket, the major portion of the top edge of said bracket nearest the hinged connection extending other than above the shelf supporting plane of the platform member in the horizontal position of said platform member, means for clamping together the two elements of the shelf support unit in angularly adjusted relationship, said shelf platform members having an upturned flange, which serves as an abutment for the forward edge of the shelf, and comprising two elements with a longitudinally extending tongue and slot connection therebetween, and means for clamping the elements of said platform members in position corresponding to the width of the shelf to be carried thereby.

9. A store display comprising a standard having a plurality of bracket anchoring conformations therealong, a plurality of shelf supporting bracketunits having mounting portions fixed to said conformations in spaced relationship, and a shelf platform member at the forward end of each of said mounting portions and adjustable in angular position with respect thereto, means for locking the two elements of each of said shelf bracket units in adjusted angular position, the forward edge of said shelf platform member having an upstanding flange for engaging the lower forward edge of a shelf on which merchandise may be displayed, and tags extending downwardly from the forward ends of said platform mem bers and concealing the lengths of the standard intervening between successive shelves when said platform members are in angular adjusted position with respect to said standard and when said device is viewed from the front.

CLAUDE W. KRESS. 

